License plate frames or holders are available in a wide variety of designs made from a wide variety of materials. For example, protective frames are available in which a transparent cover protects the license plate from dirt, grease, and other contaminants while yet permitting the license plate number to be viewed. Such frames generally employ a metal or rigid plastic frame. Existing license plate holders include those made of a single component overlying or wrapping around the edges of the license plate and multi-component structures having back and front portions which completely encapsulate the license plate. Of course, as the structure becomes increasingly complex, cost and difficulty of installation also generally increase.
Along with vanity license plates, decorative license plate frames or holders are popular amongst car enthusiasts as well as those wishing to make a statement or to have a decorative element on their vehicle. Because of the nature of the product, however, consumers are generally willing to spend only a nominal amount. Currently, there are available a number of decorative license plate frames on which stock and/or customized lettering and designs may be placed. For example, rigid or semi-rigid plastic strips having engraved lettering may be adhered onto the face surface of a metal license plate frame. Alternatively, lettering may be engraved into a sufficiently rigid license plate frame. Stamped metal license plate frames having one or more epoxy color coatings are also available. Each of these existing types of license plate frames, however, have limited decorative flexibility with the engraved and/or stamped designs being fairly simple and having one or few colors for manufacturing ease as well as reasonable cost of production.
There remains a need therefore for an economical license plate frame having great design flexibility.